SURREY Wildlife Trust is poised to take over the day to day management of a number of wildlife sites and open spaces owned by Mole Valley Council.

Under the deal, the charity would run Ashtead Park; the Milton Heath area, including The Nower, at Dorking; Inholms clay pit at North Holmwood and the Glory Woods area at Dorking including Deepdene Terrace and The Devil’s Den.

Mole Valley Council claims that the trust is better placed that it is to secure funding and voluntary labour to maintain the sites.

Talks over their transfer on a 50-year lease are at an advanced stage.

The trust already administers the county council’s countryside estate, including Norbury Park, which it took over in 2003.

Says Jean Pearson, the council’s community committee chairman: “This is a very exciting opportunity.

“Surrey Wildlife Trust is in a unique position to source external funding and voluntary labour and to use its expertise in countryside management to make a real difference to these important public open spaces.”

At present the sites are managed by the leisure department at Mole Valley Council.

However, it has no resources available for appointing countryside rangers and no opportunities for seeking outside funding or marshalling volunteer workers.

Under the new arrangement, the council would provide help and support to improve the sites. In its turn the trust would clear scrub, open up vistas, look after trees, renew information boards and improve seats and other furniture.